Loom harness



July l2, 1966 F. H. KAUFMANN 3,260,281

Loom HARNESS Filed Feb. 5, 1964 (55 /54 @130V $54 IM'ENTOR. I mnlmfnm. 14.4 v 42 FRA/Wr H. KAUF/MANN 1L l .5225 \/5 5/ l ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,260,281 LOM HARNESS Frank H. Kaufmann, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., assgnor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 342,039 Claims. (Cl. 139-88) This invention -relates to loom harness and more particularly toimproved connections between the heddle frames and the supporting and/or actuating parts of the harness.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide supports for heddle frames having top and bottom rails of wood at the ends of the frames where they are more readily ac-cessible. One such arrangement is shown in my prior patent, No. 2,982,313. not particularly suited for heddle frames having top and bottom rails of metal.

Difficulties have also arisen in heddle frames having top and bottom rails of metal in providing a satisfactory connection of the side struts of the frame to the rails.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting construction for heddle frames which is carried on the ends of the heddle frames so as to be readily accessible at the ends, by which the forces between the heddle frames and the harness are directly eiective at the side struts of the heddle frame, which can be readily adjusted by manual manipulation, and which is particularly suitable for heddle frames having the top and bottom rails of metal. l

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting construction for heddle frames having top and -bottom rails of metal which mountings are at the ends of the heddle fra-me and also contribute to an improved connection of the side struts to the top and bottom rails.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved connector for heddle frames in which the connector forming part of the mounting structure is held against sidewise displacement or turning in a simple but effective manner so as not to become entangled with adjoining heddle frames or heddle frame supporting or actuating devices, and in which the retaining structure also aids in the connection of the side struts to the top and bottom rails.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved connector carried on a heddle fra-me which is held against turning or sidewise displacement but which is readily adjustable vertically by a simple manipulation with the fingers of the operator, and in which the retaining structure is of very simple construction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved connector for heddle frames in which the components are greatly simplified.

Other objects and advantageous features of 4the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of t-he invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which;

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a heddle frame embodying the main features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is .a fragmentary end elevational view, enlarged, showing the details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view at one end of the harness frame; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

The construction there shown is Patented July 12, 1966 FCice It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein .are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numeralsl refer to Ilike parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in the embodiment of the invention therein illustrated, the top and bottom rails 10 and 11 of .a heddle frame are shown as connected at their ends by means of side struts 12 which may be of any preferred construction.

The rails 10 and 11 can be of well known type and are preferably formed as hollow extrusions of light rnetal aluminum or magnesium alloy, with side walls 13, upper and lower or outer walls 14 and inner walls 15.

The side struts 12 can be of any desired type but as shown are preferably of compressed wood. The frame can have mounted therein upper and lower heddle rods 16 and 17 upon which the heddles 18 are slidably mounted for free movement along the rods 16 and 17. The heddle rods 16 and 17 may extend into openings 19 in the side struts 12, are retained in place in any desired manner, such as by resilient end clips 20 engaging in apertures 21 in the heddle rods 16 and 17. The heddle rods 16 and 17 may be supported intermediate their ends, if desired, in a well known manner.

The heddles 18 can also be of any desired type, such for example as those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of Patent No. 2,047,511 or in Patent No. 2,386,690, and with upper and lower end eyes or mortises 22 and warp eyes 23.

Spaced from the top and bottom ends of the side struts 12, the outer faces thereof lhave cutouts 25 with upper and lower outer inclined ends 26 and with flat faces 27 therebeyond.

Bracket plates 28 4are provided having vertical portions 29 and 30 in the same plane and connected by outwardly extending loops with flat horizontal portions 31 and 32 and a curved connecting portion 33. The vertical portion 29 has extending therefrom a beveled connecting portion 34 following the shape of the cutout ends 26 and a flat end portion 35 engaging the flat face 27.

The flat portion 35 of each bracket plate 28 has a vertical slot 36 therein.

'Fhe horizontal portions 31 and 32 are provided with aligned openings 37 and 38 therethrough for the reception of the shank portion 39 of a hook 40. The hook 40 has a straight head portion 41 engaged in the slot 36 to permit slidable vertical movement but preventing turning of `the hook 40 out of the main plane of the frame.

The shank portion 39 is provided with threads 42 and has adjusting nuts 43 and 44 thereon in engagement with washers 45 and 46. Turning of the nuts 43 and 44 permits of vertically adjusting the hooks 40.

The bracket plates 28 are preferably held in assembled relation to the frame and at the same time hold the side struts 12 in assembled relation to th'e top and bottom rails of bolts 50. The bolts 50 have their heads 51 engaged in complementa-l openings 52 in the vertical portions 29 and 30 of the bracket plates 28, extend through openings 53 in the side struts 12 and have their threaded shanks 54 in engagement in openings 55 in the rails 10 and 11.

It will be noted that each hook 40 can be adjusted vertically With respect to its respective rail 10 or 11 by adjustment of the nuts 43 and 44 while the engagement of the straight head portion 41 in the slot 36 serves to hold the hook 29 locked against turning. The location of the hooks 40 and the nuts 43 and 44 at the ends of the harness frames provides easy access for adjustment.

The hooks 40 are prevented from moving or turning to positions such that they could engage with adjoining heddle frames or harness supports or actuators.

I claim:

1. In loom harness, a heddle frame having top and bottom rails, side struts connecting said rails at each end thereof, said side struts having oppositely disposed vertical outer faces, at least one of said side struts having a recessed portion on the outer face thereof aligned with a rail end, a bracket member having spaced vertical portions disposed in said recessed portion and engaging said strut, said bracket member having offset outwardly of the recessed portion a portion provided with a slot and extending vertically along the outer face of the strut beyond the recessed portion, said bracket member having connected horizontal portions interposed between said spaced vertical portions, a hook having a portion in engagement in said slot and a threaded shank extending through said horizontal portions, and a positioning member on said threaded shank.

2. Loom harness as defined in claim 1 in which Said vertical portions have spaced fastening members extending therethrough and into said side strut.

3. Loom harness as dened in claim 1 in which said fastening members also extend into a rail 'end in engagement therewith.

4. Loom harness as defined in claim 1 in which said slot extends vertically for vertical adjustment of said hook while preventing turning of said hook.

5. In loom harness, a heddle frame having top and bottom lrails, side struts connecting said rails at each end thereof, said side struts having oppositely disposed vertical outer faces, a bracket member having spaced vertica-l portions disposed outwardly of an end of one of said rails and engaging said strut, said bracket member having a portion provided with a slot extending vertically along the outer face of the strut beyond said rail end, said bracket mmeber having connected horizontal portions interposed between said spaced vertical portions, a hook having a portion in engagement in said slot and a threaded `shank extending through said horizontal portions, a positioning member on said threaded shank, and upper and lower fastening members for said bracket member and said side strut, said last member extending through said vertical portions above and below said horizontal portions and into said rail end, said last members having heads engaging said vertical portions and having threaded ends in engagement directly with said rail end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,955,619 10/1960 Flamand 139-92 X 3,106,942 10/1963 Ray 139-88 FOREIGN PATENTS 788,171 12/1957 vGreat Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

H. S. JAUDON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN LOOM HARNESS, A HEDDLE FRAME HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM RAILS, SIDE STRUTS CONNECTING SAID RAILS AT EACH END THEREOF, SAID SIDE STRUTS HAVING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED VERTICAL OUTER FACES, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE STRUTS HAVING A RECESSED PORTION ON THE OUTER FACE THEREOF ALIGNED WITH A RAIL END, A BRACKET MEMBER HAVING SPACED VERTICAL PORTIONS DISPOSED IN SAID RECESSED PORTION AND ENGAGING SAID STRUT, SAID BRACKET MEMBER HAVING OFFSET OUTWARDLY OF THE RECESSED PORTION A PORTION PROVIDED WITH A SLOT AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY ALONG THE OUTER FACE OF THE STRUT BEYOND THE RECESSED PORTION, SAID BRACKET MEMBER HAVING CONNECTED HORIZONTAL PORTIONS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SPACED VERTICAL PORTIONS, A HOOK HAVING A PORTION IN ENGAGEMENT IN SAID SLOT AND A THREADED SHANK EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HORIZONTAL PORTIONS, AND POSITIONING MEMBER ON SAID THREADED SHANK. 